Scottish Executive

Arts

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the still life "Le Paté de Jambon", prior to the publication of the spoliation advisory panel’s recently published report.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The department sent the Executive an advance copy of the panel’s report and conveyed the views which have now been published on its website ( http://www.culture.gov.uk Press Notice 155/04 of 24 November 2004).

Care of Elderly People

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that data in respect of the (a) collation of actual and (b) projection of future costs of free personal care for the elderly is accurate and up-to-date.

Rhona Brankin: In respect of (a), the collection of actual data, the Executive collects up-to-date information on free personal care expenditure through an annual data collection from local authorities. The accuracy of this data is ensured through validation procedures and comparison to recipient figures collected quarterly. These figures are published annually in a National Statistics release; and the latest of these is Free Personal/ Nursing Care Scotland 2004 , which is available on the web via the link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00368-00.asp .

  As for (b), the projection of future costs, a strategy for evaluating the implementation of free personal care is currently being developed, and this will incorporate analysis of actual and projected costs.

Central Heating Programme

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any legislation that determines the placing of radiators installed under its central heating installation programme and, if so, what the legislation is.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  There is no legislation governing the placing of radiators under the Scottish Executive central heating programme, but guidance is provided in the Technical Specification issued by Communities Scotland to the Eaga Partnership Limited.

Central Heating Programme

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist in respect of the placing of radiators installed under its central heating installation programme and whether there is any flexibility in their application.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Technical Specification provides guidance on the positioning of radiators and allows for flexibility on where radiators are placed. Provided the location of radiators does not interfere with the effective operation of the heating system, then the householder should be the final arbiter on the positioning of radiators.

Central Heating Programme

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances in which its regulations prevent Eaga Partnership Ltd from sanctioning the use of existing radiators within the Executive’s central heating installation programme for the replacement of obsolete central heating systems in the homes of people aged over 80 and, if so, what these circumstances are.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  There are no circumstances in the regulations, covering the central heating programme for the over 80s, which prevent Eaga Partnership Ltd from sanctioning the use of existing radiators. However, the Technical Specification indicates that existing radiators may only be used if an inspection by a qualified heating engineer indicates they are suitable for use with the new boiler.

Council Tax

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider amending the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 1992 to give local authorities the discretion to accept up to 12 payments per annum on a monthly basis

Mr Tom McCabe: The regulations referred to above allow local authorities the discretion to enter into separate arrangements with individuals regarding payments. Therefore the requested flexibility already exists, albeit on a case-by-case basis.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults involved the use of swords in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The statistics available centrally on crimes of assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the assault, such as the type of any weapon involved.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines a sword.

Cathy Jamieson: Recorded crime statistics available centrally record the number of homicide victims killed by a sharp instrument. They do not identify the types of weapons used and, consequently, there are no central definitions of weapons types.

  The First Minister recently announced the Executive’s five point action plan on knife crime, including a licensing scheme for non-domestic knives and a ban on the sale of swords. The Executive plans to consult on those proposals in the new year.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults involved the use of non-domestic knives in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The statistics available centrally on crimes of assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the assault, such as the type of any weapon involved.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines a non-domestic knife.

Cathy Jamieson: Recorded crime statistics available centrally record the number of homicide victims killed by a sharp instrument. They do not identify the types of weapons used and, consequently, there are no central definitions of weapons types.

  The First Minister recently announced the Executive’s five point action plan on knife crime, including a licensing scheme for non-domestic knives and a ban on the sale of swords. The Executive plans to consult on those proposals in the new year.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to prohibit the private import of swords as part of its proposed ban on the sale of swords.

Cathy Jamieson: A number of weapons, including sword sticks, push daggers, death stars and butterfly knives, are already banned by means of Offensive Weapons Orders made under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The act makes it an offence to import, manufacture, sell or hire, expose or possess for the purposes of sale or hire or lend or give to another person any specified offensive weapon.

  The First Minister recently announced the Executive’s five point action plan on knife crime, including a ban on the sale of swords. The Executive plans to consult on those proposals in the new year.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults involved the use of combat or military-style knives in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The statistics available centrally on crimes of assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the assault, such as the type of any weapon involved.

Crime

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults involved the use of reproduction or original historical swords such as claymores or basket-hilted broadswords in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The statistics available centrally on crimes of assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the circumstances of the assault, such as the type of any weapon involved.

Crime

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had, or plans to have, with battle re-enactment, pageant and martial arts groups about the proposed ban on the sale of swords.

Cathy Jamieson: The First Minister recently announced the Executive’s five point action plan on knife crime, including a ban on the sale of swords. The Executive plans to consult on those proposals in the new year. All groups and individuals with an interest in these matters will be able to respond to this consultation.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many victims of reported crimes were (a) injured and (b) killed by knives or other bladed weapons in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: The information available centrally relates to homicide victims killed by a sharp instrument. Figures for the period 1999 to 2003 are given in the following table. Information on the number of victims of reported crimes injured by knives or other bladed weapons is not held centrally.

  Homicide Victims Killed by a Sharp Instrument, Scotland, 1999-2003

  

Year
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Number of victims
66
43
49
68
55

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence in bus stations have been reported to the police in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Cathy Jamieson: The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not identify the location of the crime.

Culture

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from the City of Edinburgh Council or the Festival Theatre Trust in respect of the future of the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh, and, if so, how it responded.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Festival City Theatre’s Trust has both met and corresponded with the Executive at ministerial and official level in connection with the King’s Theatre. While the Executive recognises the important part that the King’s Theatre plays in the cultural life of the city, it is for the City of Edinburgh Council to consider the Theatre within the context of its own strategic needs.

Dentistry

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the issue of whether there are sufficient affordable dentists in Fife.

Rhona Brankin: Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Fife. NHS boards are encouraged to apply to Scottish ministers for approval for salaried dentist posts where they consider that there is a gap in NHS general dental service provision, which cannot be filled by other means. We continue to support NHS Fife by approving salaried dentist posts where required.

  Our consultation Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland took a fundamental look at the way NHS dental services are provided, including remuneration. Our forthcoming response to the consultation will include further measures to support NHS dental services in Scotland.

Dentistry

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to attract more dentists to the NHS.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive has introduced a range of measures over the last few years aimed at the recruitment of dentists within NHS general dental services. These include allowances for vocational trainees taking up their vocational training year in Scotland and for dentists entering substantive NHS general dental practice in Scotland on completion of vocational training.

  Our forthcoming response to the consultation Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland will include further measures to support NHS dental services in Scotland.

Dentistry

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9767 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 August 2004, when it now expects to publish its response to the consultation, Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland .

Rhona Brankin: We now expect to issue the response early in the New Year.

Education

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider operating Kerelaw School as a national facility.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive does not own or run secure accommodation. The Executive and the Care Commission each has a role only in registration of secure accommodation provided by others.

  Under current statute, local authorities have the responsibility to implement hearings supervision requirements for children in their area. This might involve provision of services directly or commissioning and funding service provided by others. It includes secure accommodation.

Education

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teaching posts are vacant in state schools, broken down by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The latest information available from the teacher vacancies survey returned by local authorities at February 2004 is given in a set of tables Full-time Equivalent Teacher Vacancies in Schools which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 32903).

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what aspects of health provision it plans to contract out to the private sector; how many contracts will be awarded, and what the timetable is for (a) award and (b) implementation of such contracts.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, before contracting out health provision to the private sector, it will seek to debate the issue in the Parliament.

Mr Andy Kerr: I will set out our proposals to the Parliament in due course.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what legislation it plans to contract out health provision to the private sector.

Mr Andy Kerr: Arrangements for health provision, including contracting with the private sector, may be made by the Executive, health boards and special health boards under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 under functions given to them in that act or in orders made under that act.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive when Professor James McEwen’s review of the provision of chronic pain services will be published.

Mr Andy Kerr: I wrote to the Conveners of the Health Committee, the Public Petitions Committee and the Cross Party Group on Chronic Pain on 26 November 2004, sending them a copy of the report. Arrangements are also being made for it to be sent to NHS boards by management executive letter. Copies of all management executive letters are placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre and on Scotland’s Health on the internet. Copies of the report are also being placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to Professor James McEwen’s review of the provision of chronic pain services.

Mr Andy Kerr: I wrote to the Convener of the Health Committee on 26 November 2004, enclosing a copy of Professor McEwen’s report and setting out the Executive’s response. The letter was copied to the member in her capacity as Convener of the Cross Party Group on Chronic Pain.

  The report contains a number of recommendations which call for action or consideration by NHS boards. As a first step, the Executive is making the report available to NHS boards for their consideration of local issues.

  The Executive also intends to invite key stakeholders, including the voluntary sector, patient groups and members of the Parliamentary Cross Party Group, to attend a consensus conference within the next few months to discuss the report. Officials are commencing preparatory work on this now. In considering how to encourage the spread of best practice, the Executive proposes to take the recommendations of the report into account as part of the National Framework for Service Change work on new approaches in Scotland to the management of long-term conditions. A presentation on this work will be included in the programme for the consensus conference.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how patients can have access to podiatric services if they are unable to pay the full cost of treatment.

Mr Andy Kerr: The planning and provision of NHS podiatry services is a matter for NHS boards. As part of NHS service provision there is no charge to patients for NHS podiatry services.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which patient groups are entitled to free chiropody and podiatry care and treatment.

Mr Andy Kerr: The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. The issue of access to NHS chiropody services is a matter for clinical decision in the light of the health needs of individual patients.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11102 by Mr Andy Kerr on 19 November 2004, how many patients died within 28 days of discharge, broken down by age group, in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002 and (e) 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following tables show the number of patients who died within 28 days of discharge, broken down by age group, in the years 1999 to 2003 inclusive:

  Deaths Within 28 Days of Discharge from a Surgical Specialty in a Scottish Hospital; 1999-2003

  

Age Group
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


0-14 years
7
7
5
14
12


15 -24 years
7
3
3
6
6


25-44 years
48
51
44
48
49


45-64 years
259
261
265
254
269


65 and over
1,168
1,170
1,104
1,176
1,171


All Ages 
1,489
1,492
1,421
1,498
1,507



  Deaths Within 28-Days of Discharge from a Medical Specialty in a Scottish Hospital; 1999-2003

  

Age group
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


0-14 years
19
21
22
17
27


15 -24 years
28
12
19
19
13


25-44 years
119
140
163
146
143


45-64 years
839
772
829
813
808


65 and over
3,379
3,225
3,334
3,404
3,600


All Ages 
4,384
4,170
4,367
4,399
4,591



  Note: These statistics are derived from data collected on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) and Registrar General death records in Scotland. All records including deaths for each patient are linked together using "probability matching". The "probability matching" algorithm uses all available identifying information (name, date of birth, postcode, hospital patient reference number etc.) to link the individual hospital records for each patient, thereby creating "linked" patient histories.

NHS Staff

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent figures are on how many consultant posts are vacant within the NHS, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The table shows the headcount and whole time equivalent (WTE) number of consultant vacancies at 30 September 2003, broken down by NHS Board. WTE adjusts to take account of part-time working. Latest available figures are at 30 September 2003.

  NHSScotland Workforce Statistics, Consultant Vacancy Posts by NHS Board

  At 30th September 2003

  

NHS Board
Headcount
WTE


Scotland
245
235.4


NHS Argyll and Clyde   
16
14.9


NHS Ayrshire and Arran  
11
11.0


NHS Borders   
6
6.0


NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
10
9.5


NHS Fife
21
20.4


NHS Forth Valley
7
7.0


NHS Grampian  
10
8.5


NHS Greater Glasgow   
59
57.3


NHS Highland  
15
15.0


NHS Lanarkshire 
42
39.8


NHS Lothian   
26
26.0


NHS National Services Scotland (formerly CSA)
3
2.5


NHS Orkney   
1
1.0


NHS Shetland  
2
1.9


NHS Tayside   
10
8.9


NHS Western Isles
4
4.0


Golden Jubilee
1
1.0


State Hospital
1
0.7



  Source: ISD Scotland.

NHS Staff

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant posts are filled by locums within the NHS, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The table shows the number of consultant vacancies and those filled by locums at the census point of 30 September 2003, broken down by NHS board. Locums covering short and long-term consultant absence e.g. covering sick leave, are not included.

  NHSScotland Workforce Statistics Consultant Vacancies Filled by Locums by NHS Board

  As at 30th September 2003

  

NHS Board
Number of Consultant Vacancies
Number of Vacancies Filled by Locums


Scotland
245
78


NHS Argyll and Clyde
16
6


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
11
3


NHS Borders
6
2


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
10
8


NHS Fife
21
5


NHS Forth Valley
7
3


NHS Grampian
10
4


NHS Greater Glasgow
59
12


NHS Highland
15
5


NHS Lanarkshire
42
10


NHS Lothian
26
16


NHS Orkney
1
0


NHS Shetland
2
0


NHS Tayside
10
2


NHS Western Isles
4
2


Golden Jubilee
1
0


State Hospital
1
0



  Source: ISD Scotland.

NHS Staff

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing posts are vacant within the NHS, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on vacant nursing posts in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section E gives details of nursing and midwifery staff employed in NHS Scotland. In particular, table E10 shows the whole-time equivalent (WTE) number of nursing and midwifery staff vacancies, broken down by NHS board area. WTE adjusts headcount staff figures to take account of part-time staff. Latest available figures are at 31 March 2004.

NHS Staff

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of use of bank or agency nursing staff was in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on nursing and midwifery posts in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section E gives details of nursing and midwifery staff employed in NHS Scotland. In particular, tables E12 and E16 show the usage of agency nurses and bank nurses respectively, broken down by NHS board over a three-year period. Both tables are shown in terms of hours and average whole time equivalent.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the net expenditure on policing has been in each year since 1979, expressed in real terms at today’s prices and broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following tables.

  

(£ millIon)
Central
Dumfries & Galloway
Fife
Grampian
Lothian & Borders
Northern
Strathclyde
Tayside


1979-80
18
11
23
34
80
24
249
37


1980-81
19
11
24
34
85
24
251
37


1981-82
20
11
24
37
92
26
267
40


1982-83
20
12
25
38
92
27
272
43


1983-84
21
13
26
40
97
29
283
43


1984-85
22
13
29
41
103
29
290
44


1985-86
21
14
27
43
100
28
278
44


1986-87
23
14
30
45
104
30
289
47


1987-88
25
15
31
47
102
31
307
48


1988-89
26
16
32
49
106
31
302
48


1989-90
27
16
34
52
118
34
318
49


1990-91
29
18
34
56
125
35
325
51


1991-92
31
19
36
56
122
36
327
51


1992-93
32
20
39
60
131
38
337
54


1993-94
33
21
40
60
132
38
351
57


1994-95
33
21
41
62
134
40
354
57


1995-96
35
22
38
65
136
40
378
59


1996-97
34
22
44
66
141
40
392
59


1997-98
37
23
45
70
157
45
410
61


1998-99
36
23
45
72
149
44
407
63


1999-2000
38
25
45
73
150
45
410
63


2000-01
39
25
48
74
152
47
407
65


2001-02
40
26
49
78
158
49
415
68


2002-03
40
26
49
80
163
49
422
68



  Note: Figures derived as police net expenditure (as published in HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s Annual Reports) deflated using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflator available from HM Treasury’s website, rounded to the nearest £ million.

Police

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its target number is in respect of the number of police officers per head of population in (a) urban and (b) rural areas.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has no such targets. The recruitment and deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. However, the levels of police grant aided expenditure have been set so that they are sufficient to maintain the record levels of overall police numbers during the current parliamentary session.

Public Private Partnerships

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PFI/PPP contracts for schools allow or require the contractor to operate food or drink vending machines.

Peter Peacock: This matter is for consideration by local authorities entering into such contracts. The information requested is not held centrally.

Renewable Energy

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in subsidies to the renewable energy sector in each of the last three years and what information it has in respect of equivalent figures for Her Majesty’s Government.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is not available in the form requested. A separate budget for renewable energy was not introduced until 2003-04, when direct spending from within the Executive’s energy budget amounted to £1.6 million. This compares to an estimated £0.4 million in 2002-03.

  These figures do not take into account budget transfers to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to fund and operate our Scottish Community and Household Renewables Initiative (SCHRI). We estimate that Executive spending on the SCHRI between its introduction in 2002 until April 2005 will come to a further £5 million.

  The Executive has also contributed funding of £2.2 million towards the establishment of the European Marine Energy Centre, and £3 million towards the Moray Firth offshore wind demonstrator.

  We also fund a range of other renewables support measures through the activities of HIE, Scottish Enterprise, EST and the Carbon Trust, as well as offering direct business support and Regional Selective Assistance funding for small businesses and companies involved in renewable energy activities.

  Renewables projects in Scotland have also benefited from a range of UK capital and research support schemes administered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Awards to Scottish companies from DTI renewable programmes since 2002 amount to an estimated £28 million.

Sewel Motions

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions it considered lodging a Sewel motion but decided not to.

Ms Margaret Curran: Each and every Bill at Westminster is expected to adhere to the Sewel Convention and is considered on that basis.

Sexual Offences

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of sex offence cases brought to court resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Percentage of Persons Proceeded Against for Crimes of Indecency1 with a Charge Proved, 1998-2002

  

Crimes of Indecency
1998
1999
2000
2001
20022


Rape and attempted rape 
61
58
58
66
60


Indecent assault 
81
80
67
71
76


Lewd and indecent behaviour 
80
78
79
78
80


Other 
96
94
86
81
84


Total 
88
84
78
77
79



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

Supporting People

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recent funding allocation in respect of the Supporting People initiative takes account of the National Joint Council pay settlement of 2.95% from 1 April 2004.

Malcolm Chisholm: The funding allocations for the Supporting People programme announced on 1 October did take into account the National Joint Council pay settlement of 2.5% from 1 April 2004.

Water Safety

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been taken under schedule 1, paragraph 5(2)(n) of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 to introduce building regulations dealing specifically with the fitting of domestic water pipes and any potential risk resulting from high concentrations of lead.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  New guidance on provisions for sanitary facilities has been introduced through the new technical handbooks which support the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The guidance alerts people to the dangers of lead in drinking water pipework and includes links to the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation and Scottish Water, where further guidance can be obtained.

Young People

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement on the outcome of the pilot schemes for the test purchasing of age-restricted products and its subsequent plans for the future of test purchasing.

Colin Boyd QC: Ministers are considering the evaluation report of the tobacco test purchasing pilot and an announcement will be made shortly.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Catering

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much locally-grown produce is used in the restaurant facilities in Holyrood.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The Parliament’s catering contractor, Sodexho, purchases from a national database of nominated suppliers in order to obtain best value for money. These suppliers have to undergo rigorous inspections to ensure that they comply with the company’s food safety requirements. On average, 20% of fruit and vegetables used in the Holyrood restaurant facilities are grown locally. Also 95% of milk and dairy products, 38% of meat products and the majority of fish are of local produce.